Big boost to Covington

Business improvement district would further bolster city's energy

Covington is going through a number of changes right now. While the city has been adding a number of businesses and undergoing improvements as a result, the creation of a business improvement district could be the key to rev the engine a little more. Enquirer file

There's an energy in Covington right now that should benefit not only that 198-year-old river city but the entire region.

Gateway Community and Technical College is buying nine properties in the heart of the business district to create an urban campus that should attract thousands of students and redefine that neighborhood.

Private developers want to turn the old Covington City Hall into Hotel Covington, a 107-room boutique hotel.

The Kenton County library is nearing the end of a $12 million expansion.

These are welcome developments. They would be supported by another plan under way, one that will require the participation and investment of property owners in the core business district. Covington leaders are working to create a "business improvement district" that would be funded by commercial property owners in the district.

Here's how it would work:

? Commercial property owners in the district would be assessed based on the size and value of their properties. The proposed district includes Madison Avenue from RiverCenter to 13th Street, and portions of Pike, Scott and Greenup streets. Assessments would be levied on commercial property only, not residential.

? The money would be spent on programs to improve the business district, including cleaning sidewalks, removing graffiti and other beautification programs. It would also pay for marketing of the central district and other efforts to populate now-vacant storefronts.

? The plan is to raise about $250,000 annually. The plan would be directed by a small board of district property owners.

It's a good idea and would be a good example of private businesses stepping up to add value to services the public sector provides. The money would not be used to fund services the city and county already provide, but would add services they can't provide.

Good models already exist. In Cincinnati, Downtown Cincinnati Inc. has been in business since 1994. It's funded by assessments on business in the central business district. Last year it raised $2.1 million through assessments. With that money it power-washed 1,358 facades, removed 2,685 cases of graffiti, carted away 128,710 pounds of trash and maintained 70 big sidewalk planters. It employs a social service coordinator who made nearly 7,000 contacts with homeless and panhandlers, social service agencies and landlords to help street people find appropriate services.

Its staff coordinated meetings among business owners and police, and created marketing strategies that include a website, a Downtown guide, special promotions, work with an ad agency and launch of mobile applications for smartphones.

In Kentucky, Louisville has the only business improvement district in the state. The Louisville Downtown Management District has operated since 1992 and last year collected $1 million in assessments. Its workers picked up tons of litter, removed thousands of graffiti and pulled thousands of weeds. It worked to reduce panhandling and assisted 27,000 visitors. For years the district needed to renew itself every five years. The last time it did, 95 percent of the affected property owners agreed to renew, said Executive Director Ken Herndon.

The downtown Cincinnati improvement district also needs to be renewed every five years and has been since it was started. Its next renewal is due at the end of 2013.

In Covington, some big property owners are already behind the idea. Gateway will soon own 10 parcels in the district, and President Ed Hughes says he's on board. Donna Salyers owns six properties in the district and the assessment would cost her about $7,000 a year. "But we don't care," she said. "What if your property value goes up $100,000?"

The Covington Business Council and the Urban Partnership of Covington are leading the petition drive to create the district. They need 51 percent of the property owners in the district to sign up. So far, they only have about 26 percent of the 302 properties. We'd urge them to shoot for 70 percent to 75 percent to ensure an overwhelming majority of owners are in support.

And we urge Covington land owners to get informed about the project, look at Cincinnati and Louisville's examples, and sign on to the petition.

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Big boost to Covington

There's an energy in Covington right now that should benefit not only that 198-year-old river city but the entire region, and a planned business improvement district would help.